The party of the 65-year-old cricketer-turned-politician emerged as the single largest side in the National Assembly in the July 25 general elections.

Khan was nominated by PTI’s parliamentary committee which met at a hotel here. The meeting was attended by several top leaders and elected members of PTI including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak, Chaudhry Sarwar, Fawad Chaudhry, Arif Alvi and Shafqat Mahmood.

Qureshi, the party’s senior vice president, presented a resolution in favour of Khan’s nomination to become the party’s parliamentary leader, which was accepted by the members.

The meeting was taken into confidence about the formation of the government and it unanimously decided to nominate Imran Khan as party nominee for the Prime Minister, according to PTI sources.

Khan thanked the members for showing confidence in his leadership.

Earlier in the day, Khan left his Banigala residence for the first time after his party’s victory in last week’s elections. Despite Khan’s explicit instructions and refusal to travel with a large protocol, a number of cars and heavy security tagged along with him.

While the exact date of the swearing-in of Pakistan’s new prime minister has not been announced, reports say it could take place on August 14, the Independence Day of the country.

Pakistan’s National Assembly comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected. A party can only form the government if it manages to clinch 172 seats in total.

PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry claimed that allies and reserved seats will take the party tally to 174 seats in the National Assembly.